COVID-19

The COVID-19 numbers for Friday, June 4 continue to trend downward.

The province saw 244 new cases in the past 24 hours with a positivity rate of 4.2 per cent.

Hospitalizations dropped dramatically by 32 cases to fall below 400 and sitting at a total of 379.

ICU admissions also saw a sharp decline of 12 cases for a total of 108.

Sadly, another seven deaths have been reported bringing the total deaths in the province to 2,243.

Over 2.9 million doses of vaccine have been administered. 

The Cochrane Farmers' Market opening day is tomorrow (Saturday, June 5) running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Seniors hour is for folks 60 years old and older and runs from 9 to 10 a.m.. If you are under 60 please arrive at 10 a.m.

For the second year in a row, due to COVID-19, it is the Market by the Bow.

This means that the Cochrane Farmers' Market is held in the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre parking lot. 

COVID-19 protocols are to be followed including physical distancing, customer number control, and face masks are encouraged. 

Homebuyers in Kenora have seen a significant increase in housing prices.  For local real estate agents, the COVID-19 pandemic has been good for business.

“It's been very, very busy," says Angela Kuchma the broker-owner of Remax Northwest Realty explains.

"We haven't had really any downtime which is not normal. Usually, our winter months are a little slower, but this year it's been pretty steady all the way through, which is awesome,” Kuchma noted.

Second-dose eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine is opening further.

Manitobans who received their first COVID-19 vaccine on or before April 25 can now book their second dose. Indigenous people and those with specified health conditions continue to be eligible for their second dose. Since December, 1,041,040 doses of vaccine have been delivered to Manitoba, with 911,382 of those vaccines administered.

As of Friday morning, there are 329 new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba.

Due to an increase in vaccine supplies, the Ontario government is accelerating their vaccine roll-out for early second doses.

As of Monday, residents turning 70 and over in 2021, as well as individuals who received their first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine before April 18, will be able to book an early second dose ahead of schedule through the provincial booking system.

Thanks to the efforts of front-line healthcare workers and residents across the region, there are only three active COVID-19 cases reported across northwestern Ontario.

Staff with the Northwestern Health Unit say the active cases include one in the Kenora Health Hub, and two in the Sioux Lookout Health Hub.

The Northwestern Health Unit has expanded COVID-19 eligibility for walk-in clinics this week.

Those born in 1951 (70+) or earlier, First Nation, Inuit and Metis people and their households, those who live in long-term care or Elder care lodge, transplant recipients, dialysis patients, cancer patients on active treatment, and those taking anti-CD20 agent medications and certain high-risk health care workers are eligible to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at the walk-in clinics being held today and tomorrow.

As Ontario’s stay-at-home orders end and we transition back into public health measures under the provincial emergency brake, Ontario leadership is looking ahead to their June 14 deadline.

The week of June 14 is the target date for Ontario to enter into its new Roadmap to Reopening, and the first step of the plan calls for 60 per cent of adults to receive their first dose of the vaccine, before restrictions can start to change.

Students of the Keewatin Patricia District School Board will sadly not be returning to school this year, as announced by Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday, virtual learning will continue through this school year with in-class learning returning in September.

“Well for me, I'm really glad that the decision was made," stated by Sherri-Lynne Pharand, Director of Education. 

Provincial officials are sharing why many schools are remaining online until the end of the school year.

For almost a month, education and public health officials have been holding out hope for in-person classes in Winnipeg, Brandon, and recently Garden Valley and Red River Valley school divisions. On Thursday, Education Minister Cliff Cullen and Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Jazz Atwal announced a final decision.